Randy Orton took to Instagram to refute reports that he is getting neck surgery after he rehabs his shoulder. Orton wrote the following in the comments section of an Instagram post (scroll down in the IG app):
I see many of you think I need neck surgery. I heard weeks ago that Meltzer stated it as a fact. I don’t keep up with gossip, so I didn’t think anything of it. As far as my shoulder, I was cut on 12/8. Things are ahead of schedule and I’m pumped to get back to work. As far as my neck, and I’m only debunking this ‘fact’ for the sincerely concerned fans, I DONT need neck surgery. Remember, unless you hear about it on WWE.com, you really should take everything you read online concerning pro wrestling with a grain of salt.
For the record, Dave Meltzer’s report (from several weeks ago) stated that Orton’s shoulder injury was serious and would likely keep him off WrestleMania. He also noted that once Orton recovers from the shoulder surgery that he would have to get neck surgery. Meltzer said that the expectation is that the surgery on the neck would not be serious and the purpose of it would be to clean out bone chips in his neck. Meltzer said that it was possible but unlikely, that the neck damage is worse than they think and if that was the case then he would need neck fusion surgery. Again, Meltzer said that the neck fusion was unlikely. Since Orton mentioned WWE.com as the place to go for injury news, it’s worth noting that WWE.com has posted legit and kayfabe injuries on their website and in some cases they have opted to hold off on injury news. The one case that sticks out to me is Daniel Bryan. News of his health issues came out in the Observer while people in WWE were issuing denials.
Also, Ric Flair has also been saying on his podcast that Orton needs neck surgery.
